Electric steam generator device with brush



Dec. 1, 1964 D. A. LONG 3,158,891

ELECTRIC STEAM GENERATOR DEVICE WITH BRUSH Filed July 20, 1962 MMMW/i;

DOROTHY A. LONG INVENTOR.

B m BY #964414 29% 12 6 ATTORNEY 1 United States; Patent 3,153,891 ELEICTPJQI STEAM GENERATQR DEVICE WETH BRUEBH Dtlli'fiilljl A. tag, 417a Northwest Highway, must, 'rex.

Filed m 20, 1962, Ser. No. 211,364 a 1 10 Claims. (Cl. 15-504 This invention relates to portable electrical appliance devices and more'particularly to. portable, manipulatable electric steam generators for exhausting live steam through a brush unit; I p

A-small quantity of steam, when conveniently produced under Controlled conditions, is particularly useful in revitalizing and/or touching up garments in the home, in traveling, in the garment industry, in touch-up jobs at cleaning plants, in retail stores to eliminate packaging 1 wrinkles, and in eliminatingwrinkles or revitalizing drapused in dispensing medication for inhalation or in steam-' ing or treating the hair.

In the prior art there are many types of steam generators which are purported to be suitable for the above purposes, but they are not entirely satisfactory because, among other things, they are arranged, with fixedmountlugs and are otherwise not portable nor readily manipulatable. i

In contrast to such prior art devices, the present inven- 3,158,891 l at ented Dec. 1, 1964 ice FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE l, the generator 11 has a 1 head portion 13 and a handle 15. The handle 15 is a hollow cylindrical tube 17, oneend of which is closed by an end wall 19. Near the other open end, there is a threaded region 21 on the inner wall of the tube 17. Within the handle 15 there is a concentric cylindrical tube 23 extending for approximately the length of the handle. The end 25 of the tube 23 is secured to. the head portion 13. The other end is closed by ,a bearing plate 27; at the inner surface of the end wall 19.. Near theend plate 27 there is provided on the outer wall of the tube 23 a threaded region 28. A second threaded region 24 is provided near the left end of the cylinder 23. Also within the tube 23 is a hollow tubular piston rod 29 which extendsaxially tion relates to a self-contained, electric steam generator which is both portable and manipulatable and to which is attached a brush or other work unit.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedself-contained manipulatable electric steam generator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manipulatable electric steam generator with a minimum number or" parts and at a minimum cost. i

More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an appliance comprising a steam gencrating head portionand a valve whichare attached to a handle. The head portion includes an electric heating element aroundwhichis placed a steam generating coil tube, one end of which is connected to a valve and theother plugged end'has a pluralityof steam apertures 7 in the head portion between bristles thereon. The handle s hollow and forms a water storage reservoir. The valve tssembly is disposed infthe head'portion adjacent the handle for the'purpose of controlling the flow of water to the steam generatingcoil. maintaining the water under pressure against the valve. I For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objectsand advantages thereof,

Means are provided for in the direction of the tube 23. G'ne end of the piston-rod 29 threadedly engages the end wall 19 while the other end is threaded to receive av retaining nut 31 and washer 33. The end of the hollow piston .rod 29 which is secured in the end wall 19 is closed by plug 35, to prevent fluid flow therethrough. A unitary piston assembly is slidable on the piston rod within the tube 23. The assembly includes a flexible,

composition washer or cup 39 which is slidable in the tube 23. Also included are a plunger supporting ring 41, a bearing ring 43 and a spring guide seat 45. The spring guide seat. is provided with an O-ring 47 surrounding the piston rod 29 which is retained by a washer 49 attached to the guide seat by suitable fasteners 51. Cup 395, washers 41 and 43, and seat 45 are connected together (by means not shown) to form a unitary plunger which is slidable along tube 29, being sealed thereto by 0-ring 49 and sealed to the cylinder 23 by the washer or cup 39. A compression spring 53 is disposedaround thepiston rod 29 and bears at the endsagainst the plates 27 and seat 45.

- The head portion 13 is a hollow tube 55, generally semicylindrical in shape, and has an outer diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the handle, 15. I The tube 55 is closed at one end by a wall 57. The tube 55 isprovided with a plurality of rows of bristle tufts .61 arranged longitudinally in spaced relation, forming a 7 brush. Nested within the tube 55 is a steam generator" reference may now be had to the following description f taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in "which: e j v T FTGURE l is alongitudinal sectional View of an electric steam generator devicb constructed in accnrdancewith alpreferr'ed embodiment of the invention;

1 .FTGUREZ is a sectional view taken along ine 2+2 63 suitably encased in an insulating jacket 65. The steam generator 63 comprises a cartridge-type electric resistance heater 67 embeddedin a suitablematrixsuch asasilicon rubber cylinder.,69." The heater 67 is provided with a pair of electrical leads 71 suitably arranged within the jacket and which are connected to an electrical plug 73 which is adapted to be energized by a source of current. The cylinder 6? is surrounded by a coil 75 of thin wall tubing, preferablyv of copper. One endof the coil connects to a tube 77 which extends longitudinally toward:

the handle 15. The other end of the coil 75 is flowconnected to a U-shaped tube or'manifold 79 best seen in FIGURE 4. Manifold 79 extends longitudinally below the lower surface of the coil 75. U

The tube 77 extends into .a p'or'tin the face of ,aTvalve block 81.. The other end of the manifold 79 is closed.

There is provided, as shown in FIGURE 4, a plurality of holes 83 arranged longitudinally along the surfaceof the tube 79. These holes 83 vary uniformly in size from a smallest holefinflthe region adjacent the c0il 75 to a largest holeadjacent the closed'or downstream end.. The .J holes 3-communicate with a longitudinal slot 35 between the rows of bristles .61. I k a y. The valveblock Slis disposed in the head portion13 and is coupled to-the handle 15. The block 81, as shown which is, threadedat the surface to receive. a plug 89. I i

in FTGURETB, includes a transverse cylindrical bore 87 a? The passage 87 is funnel-shaped at the bottom and is aligned with a re-entrant bore extending into the valve body from the opposite side thereof. The re-entrant bore is threaded to receive an O-ring 9t} and plug 91. The smaller diameter portion 97 of the passage 87 provides a shoulder 95 against which the O-ring bears. The conical bore section forms a seat for a valve 99, having a stern 101 which extends outwardly of the valve block through an aperture ltlii'in the plug 91. A coil spring 195 is disposed within the lower passage 87 between the bottom of the valve 99 and the plug 39. The spring urges the valve 99 into mating sealing relation with the valve seat. A'knob 197, or other suitable device, may be conveniently attached to the end of the valve stem 101 to aid in manipulating the valve. The valve block d1 is provided also with a water inlet passage it leading from the water storage chamber in tube 23 to the valve )9, and a water.

" the steam generator 63.

Also provided in the valve block is a water-filling passage 113 leading to the water storage chamber in tube 23. A suitable plug 115 and O-ring'llti are provided threadedly to engage and seal the water-filling passage 113. A plurality of threaded sockets 117 are provided in the valve block 81 to receive suitable fasteners (not shown) for maintaining the valve block 81 in position relative to the head portion 13.

In operation, the valve 99 will be normally closed by action of the spring 165 and is opened only when the knob 197 is depressed. The handle 15 may be unscrewed from thethreaded region 21 of the inner tube 23 and then telescopically extended, moving threads 24 to the stop provided by the threaded region 28. In so doing, the

piston rod 29 and the piston assembly 37 are moved to the right, as viewed in FIGURE 1, thereby compressing the spring 53. The threaded region 24 of the handle 15 may engage the threaded region 28 to maintain the handle in the extended position while the water chamber within the tube 23 is filled through the filling passage 113. Ther upon, the passage is closed by plug 115. The handle 15 i is then unscrewed and released. It is then moved to the left to engage the threaded region 21. The spring 53 then acts on the piston assembly 37, tending to force the water against the valve 99. 'When' the valve is opened, the water enters the steam generator 63. With the plu'g'73 connected to a suitable source of power to energize the resistance heater 67 or by means of a switch-on unit (not I shown), the water entering the coil '75 flashes into steam. The steam enters the tube 79 and is emitted through the holes 83 and the slots 87 between the bristles 61." The holes 83 vary in size growing larger downstream in order to obtain a substantially uniform emission of steam along ,the length of the brush. it is evident that as the steam the opening of a valve disposed between a water storage and the steam generator. The steam is delivered via a plurality of ports to slots between rows of brushes projecting from the surface of the head. There is connectedto the head portion a handle which comprises a pair of extensible inner and outer telescoping tubular members.

Within the inner tubular member a piston reciprocates in response to a spring to urge water in storage in theinner tubular member against the valve.

With forced feed thus provided, the generator will operate in any position with equal effectiveness. The steam may be employed directly with the brush structure to revitalize clothing or the like. Alternatively, a smooth fabric or perforated metal shield may be clipped over the brush bristles toprovide a work surface other than the bristles themselves while utilizing the steam generator. Use is, therefore, not limited to brush applications alone.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the head portion, the valve block, valve, plugs, handle and piston assembly, except the plunger itself, are of plastic. The piston plunger is a synthetic rubber-like plastic called neoprene. The water storage tube 23 is made of stainless steel, as is the piston rod 29. The bearing rings 27 and 43am made, preferably, of brass. The springs 53 and preferably are made of stainless steel. While a helical spring has been shown, a constant-pressure spring in the form of a spiral will provide uniform pressure on the supply tank and may, therefore, be considere-dto be preferred. In a typical household unit, the electric cartridge heater 67 has a capacity of about 25") watts. -l0wever, for industrial use, a heater element of largercapacity may be selected for use in a correspondingly larger appliance. The heater element is embedded and surrounded by the silicon rubber cylinder which, in turn, is encircled by the copper coil of the steam generator.

The bristles of the brush are synthetic; but, if desired for some purposes, a natural bristle may be substituted therefor with equivalent effectiveness. Other materials and heating devices may be found which are more suitable and the may be used as eliectively without limitation.

Having described the invention in connection with ertain embodiments thereof, it is understood that furthermodification's may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope'of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A manipulatable vapor generating appliance which comprises:

(a) an electric heater for vaporizing fluid,

(b) a coil of tubing surrounding said electric heater having a perforated terminal section,

(c) a handle, including vaporizable fluid storage means, said means comprising a closed hollow tube for receiving a supply of vaporizable fluid,

(d) a flow channel including a valve means disposed therein having a fluid inlet passage connected to said tube and a fluid outlet passage connected to said coil of tubing, and

(e) force feed means in said tube for continuously maintaining said fluid under pressure against said valve means, said force feed means being operative regardless of the position of the manipulatable vapor generating appliance, said force feed means comprising: V

(1) an elongated rod with an end fixedly anchored to said handle and extending lengthwise in said hollow tube, and V (2) a biased annular fluid pressure imparting piston slidably mounted on said rod and with its outer surfaces slidably engaging adjacent inner surfaces of said tube. Y

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a brush head encompasses said heater and coil with vapor outlet channels therein aligned with perforations in said terminal section.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said terminal section is provided with a plurality of perforations which are of progressively increasing size along the direction of flow for uniform emission of vaporized fluid'th'erefrom along the length of said terminal section.

4. A manipulatable steam generating appliance which comprises:

(a) a hollow tubular head closed at one end,

1 (b) an electric heater disposed within said head and having terminals exteriorly of said head adapted to be energized by a source of electric current, i

(0) a perforated coil of tubing disposed within said head and surrounding said electric heater,

(d) a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the exterior surface of said head forming a brush,

(e) fluid communicating passages in said head connecting said head perforations with the exterior of said head adjacent said bristle tufts,

(f) a handle comprising a hollow tube attached to the other end of said head and adapted to receive and contain a supply of vaporizable fluid,

(g) adjustable valve means disposed in said head and having a fluid inlet passage connecting the interior of said head and a fluid outlet passage connecting said coil of tubing, and

(it) force feed means, self-contained within said manipulatable vapor generating appliance, for moving said fluid toward said coil, said force feed means comprising: i

(1) an elongated rod with an end fixedly anchored to said handle and extending lengthwise in said hollow tube, and

(2) a biased annular fluid pressure imparting piston slidably mounted on said rod and with its outer surfaces slidably engaging adjacent inner surfaces of said tube.

5. A manipulatable steam appliance which comprises:

(a) a head,

([2) an electric heater disposed within said head and having a set of electrical terminals exteriorly of said head,

(0) a coil of hollow tubing within said head surrounding said heater,

((1) a plurality of bristles extending from the exterior surface of said head,

(e) a tube closed at one end and disposed adjacent the exterior surface of said head in the region of the roots of said bristles, the other end of said tube being connected to said coil of tubing,

( a plurality of fluid emitting apertures in said tube with the axis of said apertures substantially parallel to saidbristles,

(g) a hollow tubular handle closed at one end and attached at the other end to said head to form a water reservoir,

(h) structure forming a flowchannel including ad-' justable valve means disposed in said head between inlet and outlet passages connected respectively to said reservoir and said coil at tubing, and

(i) force feed means in said reservoir for maintaina ing water therein under pressure against said valve 1 means regardless of the orientation of said appliance in space, said force feed means comprising:

(1) an elongated rod with an end fixedly anchored to said handle at said closed one end and extending lengthwise in said hollow tubular handle, and

(2) a biased annular fluid pressure imparting piston slidably mounted on said rod and with outer surfaces slidably engaging adjacent inner surfaces of said hollow tubular handle.

6. A manipulatable steam appliance which comprises:

(c) a coil of hollow tubing within said head surrounding said heater, (d) a plurality of bristle tufts extending from the exterior surface of said head to form a brush,

(e) a tube closed at one end and disposed adjacent the exterior surface of said head in the region of said 'brush, the other end of said tube being connected to said coil of tubing,

(7) a plurality of fluid emitting apertures in said tube with the axis of said apertures substantially parallel to the bristles of said tufts,

(g) a hollow tubular handle closed at one end with the other end attached to said head and adapted to receive and contain a supply of vaporizable fluid,

(h) adjustable valve means disposed in said head between fluid inlet and outlet passages connected respectively to said hollow handle and said coil of tubing, and

(i) self-contained force feed means for moving said fluid toward said coil of tubing, said force feed means comprising:

(1) an elongated rod with an end fixedly anchored to said handle at said closed one end and ex tending lengthwise in said hollow tubular handie, and

(2) a biased annular fluid pressure imparting piston slidably mounted on said rod and with outer surfaces slidably engaging adjacent inner surfaces of said hollow tubular handlev 7.-A manipulatable steam generating appliance comprising (a) a head,

(b) an electric heating element within said head with electric terminals disposed exteriorly of said head, (0) a coil of hollow tubing within said head surrounding said heating element,

(0!) a plurality of bristles supported on the exterior of said head,

(e) a U-tube disposed adjacent the exterior surface of said head in the region of the roots of said bristies and having one 'end closed and the other end connected to said coil of tubing,

(f) a plurality of fluid emitting apertures in said U-tube for emitting a fluid in the region of said roots,

(g) a handle including a first cylindrical tube closed at one end, I

(h) a second cylindrical tube having one end attached to said head and extending substantially concentrically within the length of said first cylindrical tube to form a water reservoir and to slidably support said first tube,

(1') a rod fixed to the closed end of said first tube and extending axially through said second tube,

(j) a biased annular piston slidable on said rod within said second tube and with outer surfaces slidably engaging adjacent inner surfaces of said second tube,

(k) a coil spring biasing said piston to urge said piston toward said head,

(1) structure forming a flow channel including an adjustable valve in said head having a fluid inlet passage and a fluid outlet passage connected respectively to said reservoir and said coil of tubing, and

(in) structure including an orifice closure means in said head for facilitating admission or" fluid to said reservoir.

8. A manipulatable vapor generating device which comprises:

of and open at the other end, said outer tube receiving and slidably riding over said inner tube,

(d) a flow channel including a valve means disposed therein having a fluid inlet passage connected adjacent to an end of said inner tube and a fluid outlet passage connected to said coil of tubing,

(e) force fee means in said inner tube for continuously maintaining said fluid under pressure against said valve means, said force feed means being operative regardless of the position in space of the manipulatable vapor generating device, said force feed means comprising:

(1) a guide rod fixedly engaged with respect to said outer hollow tube and extending coaxially of said inner hollow tube,

(2) an annular piston slidable on said guide rod,

and

(3) biasing means urging said piston toward the end of said tube adjacent said feed passage, and

(3) structure defining a fluid supply introduction passage, including stop means therefor, communicating with said inner hollow tube.

9. A manipulatable vapor generating device which comprises:

(a) an electric heater for vaporizing fluid,

(b) a coil of tubing surrounding said electric heater having a perforated terminal section,

(c) a handle comprising an inner hollow tube for receiving and storing a supply of vaporizable fluid and an outer tube concentric with and slidably riding on said inner tube having closure means at one end and a coaxial rod fixedly engaged to and extending from said one end substantially the length of said inner tube and terminating in a free end,

(11) a flow channel including a valve means disposed therein having a fluid inlet passage communicating with the hollow portion of said inner tube adjacent its end opposite the closure means of said outer tube, and (e) force feed means in said tube for continuously maintaining said fluid under pressure against said valve means, said force feed means being operative regardless of the position of the manipulatable vapor generating appliance, said force feed means comprising:

(1) an annular piston riding on said rod, and (2) biasing means urging said piston toward said fluid inlet passage.

10. A manipulatable vapor generating device which comprises:

(a) an electric heater for vaporizing fluid,

(b) a coil of tubing surrounding said electric heater having a perforated terminal section,

(0) a handle comprising an inner hollow tube for receiving and storing a supply of vaporizable fluid and an outer tube concentric with said inner tube having closure means at one end and a coaxial rod extending from said one end substantially the length of said inner tube and terminating in a free end,

(d) a flow channel including a valve means disposed therein having a fluid inlet passage communicating with the hollow portion of said inner tube adjacent its end opposite the closure means of said outer tube,

(2) force feed means in said tube for continuously maintaining said fluid under pressure against said valve means, said force feed means being operative regardless of the position of the manipulatable vapor generation appliance, said force feed means comprising:

(1) an annular piston riding on said rod, and (2) biasing means urging said piston toward said fluid inlet passage,

(7) piston stop means on the free end of said rod,

(g) detachabie engagement means supporting said outer tube in a fixed position with said free rod end adjacent said fluid inlet passage but detachable to disengage said outer tube to permit it to be telescoped with respect to said inner tube to move said rod end substantially away from said fluid passage into an extended position, and

(11) structure defining a fluid supply introduction passage, including stop means therefor, communicating with the cavity of said inner tube between said piston and said fluid inlet passage.

Kohle Sept. 2, 1958 Wells Mar. 26, 1963 

1. A MANIPULATABLE VAPOR GENERATING APPLIANCE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) AN ELECTRIC HEATER FOR VAPORIZING FLUID, (B) A COIL OF TUBING SURROUNDING SAID ELECTRIC HEATER HAVING A PERFORATED TERMINAL SECTION, (C) A HANDLE, INCLUDING VAPORIZABLE FLUID STORAGE MEANS, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A CLOSED HOLLOW TUBE FOR RECEIVING A SUPPLY OF VAPORIZABLE FLUID, (D) A FLOW CHANNEL INCLUDING A VALVE MEANS DISPOSED THEREIN HAVING A FLUID INLET PASSAGE CONNECTED TO SAID TUBE AND A FLUID OUTLET PASSAGE CONNECTED TO SAID COIL OF TUBING, AND (E) FORCE FEED MEANS IN SAID TUBE FOR CONTINUOUSLY MAINTAINING SAID FLUID UNDER PRESSURE AGAINST SAID VALVE MEANS, SAID FORCE FEED MEANS BEING OPERATIVE REGARDLESS OF THE POSITION OF THE MANIPULATABLE VAPOR GENERATING APPLIANCE, SAID FORCE FEED MEANS COMPRISING: (1) AN ELONGATED ROD WITH AN END FIXEDLY ANCHORED TO SAID HANDLE AND EXTENDING LENGTHWISE IN SAID HOLLOW TUBE, AND (2) A BIASED ANNULAR FLUID PRESSURE IMPARTING PISTON SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ROD AND WITH ITS OUTER SURFACES SLIDABLY ENGAGING ADJACENT INNER SURFACES OF SAID TUBE. 